Black bears are popping up in backyards and neighborhood green spaces across the Baltimore region this spring, as the animals emerge from winter dens and start hunting for easy meals. Biologists say a growing statewide population, along with young bears striking out on their own, explains why sightings that once clustered in western Maryland are now appearing in suburban parks and shopping centers. After multiple reports last year of a single bear roaming through Howard, Prince George’s, and Baltimore counties, officials are again urging residents to clear out food temptations and give the animals plenty of space.
According to The Baltimore Banner, one intrepid bear took what residents dubbed a “tri-county tour” last year, turning up in neighborhoods and shopping centers in Howard, Prince George’s, and Baltimore counties. State bear biologist Jonathan Trudeau told the outlet that people should keep their distance from any bear they see and never try to approach it for a closer look or a photo.
Scientists Are Tracking The Shift
Researchers at the University of Maryland are teaming up with the Department of Natural Resources to chart where bears are moving, using hair snares, camera traps and GPS collars to estimate numbers and map their travels. The Applied Spatial Wildlife Lab at the University of Maryland says the project, which began in 2025, is focused on how bears use both their traditional western Maryland strongholds and newer patches of suburban green space as the population spreads east.
How To Keep Bears Out Of Your Yard
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources advises residents to make their property as boring as possible to a hungry bear. That means storing trash in bear-resistant containers or indoors until the morning of pickup, bringing in bird feeders when bears are active, not leaving pet food outside, and cleaning grills after use. DNR’s BearWise materials and at-home checklists walk through simple steps, from picking up fallen fruit to using bear-resistant trash bins, that reduce the odds a bear will decide your yard is its new favorite restaurant. For nuisance emergencies, the agency lists a hotline at 1-410-260-8888.
What Biologists Want You To Know
DNR Game Mammal Section Leader Jonathan Trudeau told FOX 5 DC that Maryland’s bears reproduce quickly and that young males are often pushed out by their mothers at around 18 months old, which sends them on long scouting trips that can carry them straight into subdivisions. Researchers have even tracked bears swimming across rivers and following roads across county lines as they search for new territory and food…